Candidate Begs Supporters Not To Vote For Him

July 19, 2000|By JOE KOLLIN Staff Writer

SOUTHWEST RANCHES — Until this week, Doug Couvertier knocked on doors, mailed letters and placed ads to get his neighbors to vote for him as he sought to become one of the first council members of the town he helped create.

But on Tuesday, Couvertier, 54, knocked on doors, mailed letters and placed ads begging people not to vote for him.

He doesn't want any votes. He doesn't even want to be in next Tuesday's race against eight other residents seeking four seats on the town council. Three others are running for mayor of the town created June 6.

"If elected, I'll be fired from my job," said Couvertier, who has worked for the Miami-Dade County Fire-Rescue Department for 27 years and is a battalion chief, one of the highest-ranking personnel.

And, if fired, he would lose his pension.

"In three more years, I can retire," Couvertier said.

"I need to let everyone know to please not vote for me."

Couvertier, who qualified to run for office last month, said Miami-Dade's fire-rescue chief saw his name in the newspaper. On Tuesday, an aide pointed out a provision in the county charter that requires county employees running for office to take a leave of absence and for winners to resign.

A Southwest Ranches resident for more than 20 years, Couvertier said he wasn't aware of the charter provision.

Although his bosses didn't threaten him, he said their message was clear.

Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue officials were contacted for comment on Tuesday but didn't respond.

Couvertier's longtime friend, Vince Falletta, a Southwest Ranches pioneer who is running for mayor, said it was wrong to discourage employees from serving their communities.

"I think the Dade charter holds employees hostage by not permitting them to be public servants, even when there is no conflict and they aren't even in the same jurisdiction," Falletta said.

"I'll make every effort to see that he's not elected so his job won't be jeopardized and his pension won't be jeopardized."

It's too late for Broward County Supervisor of Elections Jane Carroll to take Couvertier's name off the ballot.

If he is one of the top four vote-getters, he will win the election.

"We can't at this late date, particularly since he's the third one down on the list," said Carroll, who has been the county's election chief for 32 years.

If she tried to block out his name, she said, the two candidates listed alphabetically before him probably would complain.

"It would look like only the next six are running because the first two would look like they aren't part of it," she said.

"And it's too late to renumber their position."

Actually, only one candidate might complain. One of the two candidates whose names are ahead of Couvertier's is Joseph Chmielarz. Although he announced last month that he was dropping out of the race for personal reasons, Carroll's office said the office was not made aware of it.

His name will be on the ballot, and his votes will be counted.

State law requires that candidates give 45 days notice of their withdrawal from a race. Chmielarz announced his withdrawal on June 27.

Carroll said more than 100 absentee ballots have been mailed, and some have been returned. To honor Couvertier's request, she said she would consider allowing those people to vote again.

Carroll said the problem isn't that unusual, especially in city races.

"I don't know why they put that much time in it and quit, although I can understand this man because it's his livelihood," she said.

Joe Kollin can be reached at jkollin@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7913.